2003 Conference Highlights
HIGHLIGHTS
Jim Horne
Commissioner, Florida Board of Education
Plenary Speaker
Sunday Morning, July 18, 2004
Jim Horne was appointed Commissioner of Education on January 7, 2003. Horne serves as the chief executive of Florida's new K-20 education system. Commissioner Horne reports directly to the State Board of Education and provides guidance and direction for over 2,000 employees of the Department of Education. Prior to his appointment as commissioner, he served as the Secretary of Education during the transition from a series of educational delivery systems to a new seamless, student-centered system, known as K-20.
Horne's highest priorities are to improve reading and revolutionize the teaching profession in Florida. He believes there are necessary changes to be made in the delivery of education.
"We are living in a technology-driven society that requires more education," says Horne. "We must encourage students to improve their studies and increase skill training in order to be successful." He believes that the most important factor in student achievement is the presence of a high-performing, dedicated teacher in the classroom. Horne is working to recruit more teachers in critical areas, improve teacher salaries and reward high quality work.
In 1994, Horne was elected to the Florida Senate, where he was active in the formulation and implementation of education policies for the state as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, and later as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. During his tenure in the Senate, he served on the Governor's Commission on Education as well as task forces on public school construction and public school funding.
Also as a Senator, he sponsored legislation on performance-based budgeting for community colleges, public school safety, best financial management practices in education, and professional teacher development academies. Horne co-sponsored the Governor's A+ Plan for Education and the Education Governance Reorganization bill, as well as Florida's Charter School legislation.
As a citizen legislator, Horne was known for his common-sense approach, willingness to listen and tenacity in getting the job done. He championed legislation aimed at protecting children, making streets safer and ensuring that education had adequate funding.
Horne has received numerous leadership and achievement awards and has gained the respect of groups and organizations worldwide. A native of Jacksonville, Horne earned a BA in Accounting with honors from Florida State University.
Horne and his wife, Lori, are the parents of four children who attend Florida public elementary, middle and high schools. Although his position as Commissioner of Education requires him to spend some time away from home, his views on parenting and family values have not been compromised.
"I believe in spending time with my family and making quality time for listening," Horne said. "We must go back to the love of the extended family and good old-fashioned mealtime opportunities to listen and talk with one another." Horne attributes these values to his parents who, he says, have been the most influential figures in his life.
In addition to spending time with his wife and participating in sports and hobbies with his children, Horne enjoys fishing, hunting and playing golf. He is an avid American history enthusiast and a former collector of antique phonographs and books.
